Extension shelf for a ladder



-WIWI/Eil n l d//Z INVENTOR NOV.` 19, A H CQNNER EXTENSION SHELF FOR A LADDER' Filed June 15, 1962 United States Patent Office llllg? Patented Nov. l, 1963 3,111,297 EXTENSIQN SHELF EUR A LADDER Adrian Herbert Conner, 13341 Cypress St., Garden Grove, Caiif. Fiied .lune 15, E752, Ser. No. 292,772 1 Claim. (Si. 24S- Zim The present invention relates to step ladders and eX- tens-ion ladders generally and in particular to an extension shelf for a ladder such as a step ladder or extension ladder.

An object of the present invention is to provide an extension shelf for use with either a step ladder or an extension ladder, one which `is simple in structure and sturdy of construction, one which may be manufactured in such sizes and from `such materials as is most economical, and one which is highly eective in action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an extension shelf for a ladder which is suitable for either holding a paint pail or container or for holding a paint roller tray, and one which has means for supporting a vbrush when used With either the paint pail or the roller tray.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an extension shelf for a ladder which may be assembled and disassembled with ease and faciiity, and one which has special means for adapting it for use on either an extension ladder or a step ladder.

These and other objects advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a step ladder showing the shelf of the present invention installed thereon,

FIGURE 2 is a View taken on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE l showing in dotted lines a paint roller tray `and roller supported upon the shelf,

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FiGURE 3 showing a paint pail and brush supported upon the shelf,

FIGURE 5 is a view showing the partial detachment of the clamp element which serves to hold the shelf to a ladder,

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line 6 6 of FIG- URE 1, and

FIGURE 7 is a View similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the means of attaching the shelf to the rail of an extension ladder.

Referring in detail to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the step ladder is shown in FIGURE l and is designated generally by the reference numeral It?. The step ladder I@ has a side rail I2 and rungs i4. The step ladder Il@ includes a back leg 16 and a brace IS.

The extension shelf `of the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 2i? and it includes a pair of horizontally disposed support members 22 and 24 arranged in parallel spaced relation. Each of the ysupport members 22 and 24 are provided with sets of grooves 26 and 28 and sets of grooves 3@ and 32, respectively.

The groove 26 of the member 22 is in registry wit-h and on the same plane as the ygroove 3% of the member 24, and similarly, the groove 2S of the member 22 is on the same plane and Iis in registry with the groove 32 of the member 24. The faces of the member 22 and member 24 having the grooves face each other.

Means is provided for securing the members 22 and 24 together and this means consists in a pair of dowel pins 34 and 36 suitably anchored in holes provided in the members 22 and 24.

A single plate element 3S is provided by the present invention and its side edges are slidably received into either the grooves 26 and 3@ or the grooves 23 and 34, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

Means is provided on the one element 24 for securing the element 24 to the rail I2. This means consists in a clamping bar member 4@ formed of sections 42 and 44 disposed in spaced relation with respect to the yone support member 24 and a pair of spaced wing nut and bolt assemblies 46 extending through the ba-r member 40 and through the support member 24.

In use, the shelf 2Q may be either employed with the step ladder lil or with an extension ladder lil as in FIGURE 7. In FIGURE 2 the clamping bar member sections 42 and 44 are disposed exteriorly of the rail l2 and in FIGURE 7 the section 44 is shifted to the position between the rail 12 and the support member 24. It will be seen that the tapered section 44 is complemental to the taper of the outer face of the support member 24 in FIGURE 7.

In FIGURE 3 i-t will be seen that the plate element 38 has been shifted to the lowermost grooves 28 and 32 and a roller tray 4S is installed with its leg 50 hooked under the dowel pins 34 and 36.

In FIGURE 4 it lwill be seen that the plate element 3S is inserted in the uppermost grooves 26 and 30 and a paint can or pail 54 rests upon the portion of the element 3S above the dowel pins 34 and 36.

In each of the views yof FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4 the yextending portion of the plate element 38 may -be employed to support a brush, as at 56 in FIGURE 4.

In FIGURE 5 it will be seen that the sections 42 and 44 of the Ibar member 4? are notched at one end so that they may be easily swung to an upwardly sloping position away from the rear wing nut `and bolt assembly 46 for easy attachment to the ladder rail.

It will be seen that novelty lresides in the provisions of the sections 42 and 44 and in the provision of the dowel pins 34 and 36 for supporting the tray 48. Novelty also resides in the two grooves or two sets of grooves in each support member whereby the plate element 38 may ibe shiftd to one of two positions for the purposes above note While only -a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described other embodiments are contemplated and numerous changes and modii'icat-ions may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An extension shelf for a ladder comprising a pair of horizontally disposed support members arranged in parallel spaced relation, each of said support members having a pair of spaced longitudinally extending parallel 'grooves in one face thereof, said members being disposed so that the grooves of one member are in facing relation with respect to the grooves of the other member, said grooves of one member being in registry with the grooves of the other member, a plate element having spaced opposed side walls extending from one end and terminating at points substantially mid-length of said element, the portion of said plate element adjacent the other end being insertable into and withdrawable from `either of the sets yof registering grooves, said plate element yother end portion upon being inserted in one set of grooves forming a support for a paint container, said side -walls when said plate element other end portion is inserted in `eithe-r set of grooves being in end to end registering relation with respect to said support members, means interposed between the sets of grooves securing said members together,

and cla-mp means connected to the other face of one of said members for attaching said one member to the rail Iof a ladder, said last named means including a clamping bar member disposed in spaced relation with respect to said one support member and a pair of spaced wing nut and bolt assemblies extending through said bar member and through said one support member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS Randall Dec. 19, 1899 Bochard Feb. 5, 1918 Myers May 15, 1923 Hudoba Oct. 9, 1951 Shenker Ian. 27, 1953 

